Tips and information about learning Spanish and the people who speak it. Personal attention is what has made Language Link grow, and we value your contributions.

       As of May 15 the CDC has dropped its warning against non-essential travel to Mexico!
     Comment regarding the health alert in Mexico from Kay, director of our Mexico office located in Cuernavaca.– When you are traveling in a Language Link program, we take your health and welfare as a very serious responsibility. All of you know of the recent health alert about Mexico.  As a guest resident of this country, I am very proud of the extraordinary way in which Mexico recently reacted to control the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza outbreak. All schools were closed, as well as any public gathering places. These extreme measures have produced the desired results, and things are almost completely back to normal. (There’s just not quite as much traditional Mexican hugging and kissing as usual!)   Much has been learned which is helpful to the entire world, as this type of influenza spreads now (and not by identified travelers to Mexico) in other countries, including the U.S. Please remember that in a normal flu season in the U.S.,  35,000 deaths are the expected norm. This strain has proved to be not as contagious (In Mexico none of the confirmed victims had other outbreaks of the flu among their family members) nor as lethal, as those with symptoms who immediately sought medical attention all recovered. At the height of the crisis, Language Link had groups and individuals postpone their study, and, of course, this was at no penalty whatsoever to them. We have groups starting classes in June in Mexico, and they are continuing their plans. We feel very confident in advising that they will stay healthy, taking the normal precautions. On a personal note, I am traveling from Mexico to the U.S. in May, and I plan to bring my 8 year old grandson back to Mexico with me. If I had any concerns at all about this beloved child’s welfare, I would most certainly not be doing that. We have all sorts of Mexican adventures planned!   (Be sure to look at our OJO section for a special deal for study in Cuernavaca – 3 weeks for the cost of two plus reduced cost homestay!)

What's in this edition

Online Lesson, Cocina Cooking, Culture Clips, Language Link's Latest, OJO (special deals), Rhythm & Book Blurbs, Been There, Loved That (reports from participants), Likeable Links

Online Lesson

How to Build Vocabulary
     When you reach a more advanced level of Spanish and have covered all the grammar, then it’s a matter of refinement and practice, but most importantly, building more vocabulary. It is said that you can function adequately with a vocabulary of 1,000 essential words, but you’ll reach a stage in your Spanish where you will want and need more.
      So how do you do it? Exposure, exposure, exposure to both written and spoken words is the only way. You can read new words in fiction, non fiction, newspapers and magazines. My own personal rule is to first guess the meaning of the word from the context. Only after three times of doing this with three different contexts unsuccessfully will I resort to a dictionary or ask someone the meaning. Consulting a dictionary can be good, but it completely disrupts your train of thought. Don’t instantly grab that big book when you come across something new. It becomes a crutch which will greatly slow down your Spanish “walking”.
      To practice writing, penpals are great, and email makes this so easy to do. Often you will learn a new word or a new way of phrasing something by a simple note from a friend. You will find it quite easy to echo these back in your reply. Seeing something in writing gives you more time to figure out the meaning, and you will find that the same words keep reappearing in either social or business correspondence. The whole idea is something we say repeatedly, “Sing back the song.”
      As for hearing words, television in Spanish can be found almost everywhere. Soap operas or telenovelas are superb for listening to social conversation, and your words for emotions (upset, jealous, madly in love, to betray) will quickly rise. It takes a little while to get into this type of vocabulary, especially if your Spanish is only from textbooks. But you will soon find that the vocabulary is limited to mostly emotional situations and the same words keep reappearing. If you’ve ever memorized the words to romantic songs in Spanish, you’ll be ahead of the game in soap operas! Watching the news will provide a whole different set of words. It’s helpful here if you already have a grasp of which events are current in English, as you’ll already be clued into the basic theme. Pay particular attention to the names of places and key recurring words such as el ejército (army), la guerra (war), la embajada (embassy), el gobierno (government). Once again, after a while, you will have the basics established, and then it’s just variations. And, of course, there are commercials. Yes, they can be annoying, but they also give you that repetition and catchy phrases to help reinforce words. You’ll also learn useful words such as bathroom grime!
       But nothing beats the practice you get in one on one conversation, whether for resolving daily problems or for pleasure. Listen for the key words you recognize and then you can usually “fill in the blanks”. Phrase the questions that you ask in the simplest way, but take the more amplified responses and learn from them. Upon hearing these, the next time you can add in another word to make your question even more rich in vocabulary.
       Don’t be afraid to respectfully ask someone what a specific word means. This will take you much further than just an all inclusive No comprendo. Most people love to explain a word or idiom. Instantly repeat it to them to make sure you have it correct. If they’re learning English, they will appreciate it if you tell them how it’s expressed in that language.
      You’ll also get a lot of new words (and they will actually be the ones in everyday use, not just in the dictionary) by circumlocution. This is a fancy phrase for talking around what you want. It’s when you go to a hardware store and in English say that you want one of those thingamajigs which attaches to the back of a door to keep it from hitting the wall. Use the same technique in Spanish. Use your basic vocabulary to describe the use of the object you are seeking. Always, always the other person will come out with the word you need. Then remember it for the next time you need the “thingamajig”.
       Everyone needs to learn how to reinforce and remember all these new words you’ll be learning, as you’ve just been introduced to them. You haven’t mastered them yet. Each person’s style of learning is different, and you know what works best for you. In the last two years I have lived in a Spanish speaking country for the first time in my life, even though I have spoken Spanish for many years. Because I’m in a new living situation such as house maintenance in Mexico, I’ve had to greatly increase my vocabulary. What has worked well for me is a notebook where I have written down and organized into categories essential words I need. When I worked with a painter, I carefully had him explain to me what a plafón was (it’s the ceiling of a room). In the category of painting, I then wrote down the word with its gender and made a conscious effort to use it at least three times within the next 24 hours. Personally I like to see it written, write it myself, hear it and say it. Then it’s mine!
       At the end of the day remember that the vocabulary in your own native language keeps increasing every day, especially as the world changes. Who would have thought that anyone besides the birds would be talking about twittering? (If you don’t know what I mean, ask someone in their 20’s.) Keep growing in your native language, and you’ll find it’s also fun to grow your vocabulary in your other acquired ones. And most of all, enjoy the compliments you’ll receive as people comment on your growing Spanish.

Cocina Cooking

Peruvian Garlic Chicken – serves 6 and can be done ahead
      Ingredients: 1/2 C. olive oil, 3 chopped medium onions, 4 or less medium chopped jalapeño peppers, ½ tsp. cinnamon, 1 T. ground cumin, 1 tsp. dried basil, 2 C. roasted and chopped peanuts, ½ C. Parmesan cheese, 3 lbs. cubed chicken breasts, ¾ C. lowfat plain yogurt at room temperature, salt and pepper to taste, boiled new potatoes for garnish
      Heat oil in large saucepan and sauté onions and garlic until the onions are soft. Add chiles, cinnamon, cumin, basil, peanuts, cheese, and chicken. Stir well. Simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is done. (Can be done ahead and refrigerated up to this point, then gently rewarmed when ready to serve) Two minutes before serving, add yogurt and stir well. Serve surrounded by potatoes.

Going to Peru is, well, if you ever have an opportunity in your life to go there, you should do it, because it is absolutely mind boggling. – Dean Stockwell, Actor (Although this is not the most articulate or literary phrase we have quoted, it’s still accurate about the experience!)

Culture Clips

El Condor Pasa Pays for Dinner in Peru
      It’s not my first trip to Peru, but I am again reveling in the majesty of the Andes and the exploration of the immensely rich culture. As my travel companion and I stroll the streets of Cusco amidst original Inca walls, we make a deal. Every time we hear a rendition of “El Condor Pasa” (made famous in the U.S. by Simon & Garfunkel), we’ll put aside a dollar into a cache which we will use for a great farewell dinner. Not five minutes later in a pizza restaurant, a group enters and starts off their musical selections with the very same piece. It’s very well performed, and the diners enjoy the unique sound of these Andean pipes and other unusual instruments. And so goes the first dollar into the pot!
      How did the deal end up after a ten day trip? Aside from enjoying the running joke, I’m pleased to report that our deal financed a sumptuous dinner at the Hotel El Convento, the most elegant place in Cusco. It was a truly Peruvian evening, even to references about the mounded meringue dessert looking like Machu Picchu, and “financed” by Andean music.
So to repay my debt, I am passing on more information about this music.
      It is said that the landscape of endless valleys, the peaks and glaciers of untouched mountains, the greenest of rainforests...from these the music of the Andes has been forged throughout the course of history. It is a history of tragedy and triumph.
       Mistakenly called "Inca Music", present day Andean folk music is the product of centuries of cultural and ethnic intermixing. The wind and percussion instruments indigenous to the Andean world existed in Precolumbian America hundreds of years prior to the advent of the Incas (1200-1500 A.D.) Archaeological excavations have proven that certain musical instruments in the Andean highlands were being played well before the birth of Christ. The Incas were, however, responsible for the highest development of Andean music. Unprecedented in its domination of an expanse of territory stretching over the boundaries of present day Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, northeastern Chile and northwestern Argentina, the Inca dynasty created an empire that both imposed itself and incorporated various cultures. 
       The arrival of the first Spaniards to the Andean highlands in the beginning of the 16th century marked the beginning of the end for the Incas and many facets of their illustrious culture. Musically, it was the start of many transformations and the introduction of new instruments never before seen in the Americas. And so appear the first stringed instruments: the guitar, mandolin, lute, harp and violin being the most notable.
       Although many native cultural, religious and artistic expressions were often obliterated, the Andean highlander continued to search for new ways to make music. European instruments underwent transmutations by way of new musical styles or new forms of tuning. Perhaps the best example of native genius was the creation of the Charango, a small ten-stringed instrument descended from the lute and traditionally made with the shell of an armadillo. Also incorporated was the European system of musical notation, though many villages and regions remain faithful to native notation.
       Andean music today enjoys a considerable popularity. This ancient music has persevered, and it is not unusual to see Andean musicians on the streets of Chicago, London, Paris and many parts of the world. And if you hang around long enough, you’re sure to hear “El Condor Pasa”!

Language Link's Latest

      A growing trend in all our schools is to offer special courses exclusively customized and limited to adults over age 50. In Mexico this group is called la tercera edad, and schools often refer to this group as the Evergreens. Although Spanish is taught, there is a great emphasis on the cultural and touristic component of the country. This is a complete package which allows you to see and experience in depth all the sights of the area, and you will be with people of your same age.
      Please contact Language Link for information about all the locations of these programs, as we are in the process of posting them all on our website.
       Following is a brief description of Intercultura’s program in Costa Rica: Spanish Immersion & Adventure Vacation for Adults 50+ - Whether you would like to explore a new and exotic part of the world, travel with a group of like-minded, adventurous adults, or enhance your mental capacities by training your brain to learn a new language, Spanish for 50+ offers a unique, cultural learning experience. With us, you will enjoy studying Spanish with our highly qualified (and fun!) teachers in the colonial city of Heredia and the beautiful Pacific beach town of Sámara. You will go to galleries, museums, indigenous communities, music and dance performances and Latin films… and you will travel throughout this exciting, yet safe and peaceful country to rainforests, national parks, tropical islands, and more! Dates are AUG 30 - SEPT 13: Heredia & Sámara, SEPT 13-27: Sámara, SEPT 27-OCT 11: Heredia
OCT 25-NOV 8: Heredia & Sámara, NOV 8 - 22: Sámara, NOV 22 - DEC 6: Heredia
All inclusive costs (tuition, lodging, 2 meals daily, all guided cultural activities and tour program) $939 1 week in Heredia, $1039 1 week in Samara, $1978 two weeks with one week in each campus

      This is a departure from what Language Link regularly offers, but we have had requests for the following and are pleased that we now have the connections in Spain to make this possible for you. Since the Middle Ages it has been a tradition for religious pilgrims to walk the Camino de Santiago (Pilgrim’s Way to Santiago). El Camino de Santiago that goes from the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela is known as the Camino Francés (French Way). 
       Through Language Link you can join a group walking the final stretch of this Camino. The route is divided into 6 walking-stages. The shortest will be 13 Km. and the longest will be 21. You will decide, of course, how much you can or want to walk.
If you prefer not to walk the complete stage, you can use the support van. The estimated duration of each stage (when walked in full) is of 5–7 hours. At every stage you will enjoy a tasteful and healthy noon roadside picnic with local food and wine. Afternoons will be dedicated to interesting off-the-Camino visits. All along the way your teacher–guide will give you explanations (in both English and Spanish, so prior Spanish knowledge is helpful, but not necessary) and seminars about topics related to El Camino and to the traditions, culture and way of life in Galicia. Typical topics would be: “Origins of the Worship”, “The Burial of the Apostle in Compostela”, “Reasons for the Pilgrimage to Santiago in the Middle Ages and at Present”.
       The program includes accommodation in casas rurales - traditional buildings of different kinds (mainly country manor houses) refurbished and turned into charming family-run hotels, all meals, support van and accident insurance.
      1200 euros (about $1650 US with May exchange rate)  You must reserveby 60 days before departure. You can fly from the U.S. to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, with one plane change in Madrid.
      Sept 13 – 19, 2009 Dates for closed groups available with an organized group minimum 6. You might consider organizing a group from your own religious center, and you can choose your own dates. Please contact us if you are interested.

      We still have spaces in our teen programs for the summer. Check them out under our Teen section. It’s the best gift you’ll ever give your child! Our independent teen programs are located in: Heredia and Samara Beach, Costa Rica; Cuernavaca, Mexico, Tarragona, Seville, San Sebastián and Vejer de la Frontera in Spain.

       Our exciting contest (AND GOOD FOR UP TO A YEAR FROM THE DATE YOU WIN) for two weeks of free classes and homestay in one of our most highly rated programs, the Spanish Language Institute of Cuernavaca, Mexico, continues. Just enter your name and a brief comment through our contest box on the website.  You’ll enjoy six hours daily of Spanish group classes and a homestay with private room and two meals daily. We’re even including a dinner out in one of Cuernavaca’s fabulous garden restaurants with director Kay Godfrey as your host. Dream of the sublime climate of Cuernavaca, excellent Spanish instruction, and enter your name! (See the comment from our past Quito, Ecuador, winner under Been There, Loved That section.) 

OJO (Special Deals!)

      The Spanish Language Institute of Cuernavaca is offering an extraordinary summer special for all study from May through August. Pay regular tuition for two weeks, and you will receive the third week’s classes for FREE! And you will even get a 50% reduction on the homestay cost for your third week. This means that with a shared room (school will assign a same sex roommate) you can have three weeks of classes and your lodging and meals for only $740. This is an unprecedented bargain!

       Make free travel part of your program to Mexico (Cuernavaca, Guadalajara, Oaxaca) or Guatemala (Antigua). By participating in the TREK research study to determine if an investigational patch will prevent Travelers’ Diarrhea, you can take local language classes and be paid. Criteria:
• Male or female between the ages of 18 and 64 years of age
• In general good health
• Visiting Mexico or Guatemala for at least 7 days between May 2009 and June 2010
• Willing to maintain a daily study diary for 17 days
Qualified participants will receive travel compensation up to $1,500!
     Contact the TREK Research Study Help Desk at 1.866.792.TREK, or log on to www.trekresearchstudy.com. Please mention to them that you plan to study through Language Link at your chosen location from those listed above.

     As a promotion for our new program in Guadalajara, Language Link will give a 5% discount on classes (private or group) at IMAC of Guadalajara for the first 20 Language Link students to enroll (minimum 2 week study). We still are within this first 20 number. Study in June, July or August, and you can add two free excursions – Tequila and Guachimontones. It’s IMAC’s way of welcoming you to their fine school. We might add that this discount makes your class cost cheaper than if you were to enroll directly with the school. Language Link never adds on any cost to your study, but this arrangement for the first lucky 20 makes it even a better value.

Rhythm & Book Blurbs

Book
The Last Days of the Incas by Kim MacQuarrie
      This narrative of one of the greatest series of events in human history is eloquently told in a format that presents more like a novel of fiction, rather than the usual factual regurgitation of stale memoirs. You will be engrossed in the adroitly presented life and death struggles of a culture all too soon extinguished. It’s a great read, even though you know how it will end. All the while you’ll be hoping it won’t.  Who needs fiction when history is this rich?
Music
Chaskinakuy A Flor de Tierra
     This is music with an "altitude"! The recording features 17 stunning instrumental and vocal pieces from high mountain regions in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. Skilled musicians chart new territory for Andean music lovers on known, and not-so-known regional instruments. Pipes of feather, flutes of bone, harp, violin, vocals and more, evoke the sounds and images of high plateaus and rural celebrations. The CD includes 12-page booklet with notes, song lyrics (we love this, as it always helps your Spanish to sing along!) and instrument photos.
     All recommended books and music are available through the Language Link Shop on our website.

Been There, Loved That

     Academia de Español Quito, Ecuador - From our past contest winner - I wanted to thank you for the wonderful experience in Quito. I had won the contest that allowed me two weeks home stay and tuition in Quito, Ecuador and two day ago I returned. The staff at Academia de Español isTERRIFIC and my home stay parents, Juana and César could not have been better. Thank you for helping me with the plans and for letting me experience what immersion is all about. – Jim Couch, Oklahoma
      Intercultura of Heredia and Samara Beach, Costa Rica - . Costa Rica is beautiful and it’s hard not to have a good time there. Thank you for all your help. We had a fabulous trip. The students, my family and I all enjoyed it very much. (A group from Austin College of Sherman, Texas) – Dr. Andra Troncalli, Asst. Professor of Physics, Sherman, Texas
     The kids had a lovely time, and we're all madly sharing pictures now. I recommend without reservation this itinerary for future groups. Amazing staff at Intercultura, especially Meredith and Lucy. And what a great beach town - so friendly. I cannot wait to return! - (a group of high school students) N. Cabot, Teacher, Eastern U.S.
     PLFM of Antigua, Guatemala - My experience was superior. Everything was perfect. i liked the one on one instruction. My instructors were excellent and my host family was awesome! – Marilyn Gannon, Stay At Home Mom, St. Louis, Missouri
      The 1 on 1 instruction for 7 hours a day was ideal for me. My teacher for all three weeks of my program was Sra. Olga Marina Galvez. She was fantastic. She taught grammar intelligibly, gave helpful feedback and set high performance standards. She is the perfect teacher for high-intermediate and advanced students. - Dave Collins, Attorney, San Francisco, California
     Spanish Language Institute of Cuernavaca - Thank you for another fantastic trip! All reports were favorable and now that the trip is down to a science I believe planning will be much smoother next year.  (a group of middle school students) Gisele Conn, Teacher, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Likeable Links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIXE-5NrC3o A YouTube video with music and landscapes of Peru
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andes - general information about the Andes
http://wayanay.com/instruments.html - good descriptions of all the instruments of Andean music
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuzco - general information about Cusco (the current accepted spelling)

We hope you enjoyed our news. Please visit us at www.langlink.com. Call us at 800.552.2051. Central Standard Time with hours 9:00 to 5:00.
Meredith Butler, Director U.S. Office
Kay Godfrey, Director Latin America Office
Language Link, 2008 W. Kellogg Ave., Peoria, IL 61604 USA
Worldwide 309.673.9220, Toll Free 800.552.2051
info@langlink.com, www.langlink.com ¡Hasta luego!
 

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